Single Idea 14233

[catalogued under 9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / a. Parts of objects]

Full Idea

We can interpret '..is a part of..' as '..are among..': the xs are a part of the ys just when the xs are among the ys (though if the ys are 'one' then they would not have parts).

Gist of Idea

Nihilists needn't deny parts - they can just say that some of the xs are among the ys

Source

David Liggins (Nihilism without Self-Contradiction [2008], 9)

Book Reference

'Being: Developments in Contemporary Metaphysics', ed/tr. Le Poidevin,R [CUP 2008], p.193


A Reaction

The trouble is that this still leaves us with gerrymandered 'parts', in the form of xs that are scattered randomly among the ys. That's not what we mean by 'part'. No account of identity works if it leaves out coherent structure.